Rainbows and Silver Shadows
by Pseudonym Sylphmuse
Summary: Luna viewed the world around her in a myriad of colors, most of them in the vague inbetweens of black and white.


**Title**: Rainbows and Silver Shadows  
**Summary**: Luna viewed the world around her in a myriad of colors, most of them in the vague inbetweens of black and white.  
**Warnings**: Please refrain from copying my work. It's just sad. This story is a Harry Potter fanfic, Luna Lovegood belongs to J.K. Rowling, as does Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore.  
**Rating**: G  
**Word Count**: 929  
**Status**: Completed

Luna viewed the world around her in a myriad of colors, most of them in the vague inbetweens of black and white. People she saw, were all mostly gray, some even a drabber and boring gray than usual and others a flat, slate gray (which were the norm). Every once in a while, she would meet someone different, who broke apart from the gray, from the norm. Her father and mother are a mixture of twisting colors.

Before her mother died in an explosion of insidious green, she was a rose with trails of red and spots of purple. Her father, a bright orange with neon pink streaks, looked helplessly chaotic.

Luna doesn't see other colors until she stumbles onto Albus Dumbledore. At age seven, she trips on purple robes with twisting tendrils of gold and puce green. Two spells cushion and slow her descent onto the unforgiving ground. She stares at the hole-ridden expanse of whitish black, blackish white. The little girl looks up and blinks, her mouth forming an "o." She resembles a kneazle who has just discovered kneazle-nip.

Luna has never seen a rainbow before. The towering wizard above her literally swirls with a river of rich and brilliant hues. Dimly, she takes notice the half-moon spectacles and long, white beard. "Who are you?" She says.

Clear blue eyes turn to her and catching the light, twinkles. _He has silver flecks in his eyes_, Luna thinks. She wishes her eyes had sprinkles of silver but Luna has never seen her reflection before. When she looks in a mirror, the gray misty shadows outline a space of air just the right shape and size of a young girl. Luna almost thinks she can see herself in the twinkly wizard's eyes. A pale blond with scruffy hair and dreamy eyes gazes back at her from the pools of blue.

"Albus Dumbledore," the old man says, his voice grave. His shadow moves and suddenly begins talking. Snapping, however, is a more apt description of the whiplash words.

"Albus, I only deigned to step out of Hogwarts because you assured me we would only be gone for an hour. Your latest..." Black eyes glitter down at her and it feels like for a quarter of a second she's been tipped upside down, sideways, up in the air, flung, and finally dropped. The black eyes deem her sufficient and dismisses her to move on to far more important matters than a slip of a girl. Impressive nostrils give an impressive sniff.

Luna lets out the breath she's been holding. At first, she didn't notice the rainbow's shadow because he looked gray like the others. Except, he's silver. She's never seen silver before and it is beautiful, even tarnished. Dramatic black streaks against silver draws her hand and eye. Before her mind catches up to her, she grabs a handful of sturdy black cloth.

"Why Severus," the rainbow chuckles, "I believe you have an admirer."

The silver-black man attempts to tug a piece of his robe from Luna's fist. He blatantly ignores the rainbow wizard's words. He bends on one knee. Eyes like opals, hiding mysterious depths drills into Luna. Firmly, they speak, or rather, the man speaks. "Unhand me." _Or else,_ Luna adds.

"Silver suits you," she says. "I've always liked silver. It's human. It can be polished and tarnished and it ages."

Blank eyes reply to her statement.

"Or rather," she amends, "it's appearance ages but with enough polish, it reveals itself true and proud and beautiful. No matter how tarnished it it on the surface, beneath, its shining spirit still remains."

Before the silver-black man replies, Luna is whisked into her father's arms. The father-daughter pair nods which both greets and says good-bye. They leave in the wake in their wake two levitated cards saying:

**_SUBSCRIBE TO THE QUIBBLER NOW TO GET TRUTH AND ONLY THE TRUTH!_**

"Rubbish," Severus Snape snaps but stuffs the card it into an invisible pocket anyway.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Dumbledore remarks.

-

When Luna Lovegood comes to Hogwarts as a first year, she enjoys a brief conversation with the Sorting Hat.

"Loyalty, you've got that, it's just hidden away until needed. I don't think Hufflepuff is a good idea however."

"Why not? I'm stable enough."

"Of course you are." The hat speaks in a patronizing tone. "But... ah! Ravenclaw, I think would suit you best. You have a thirst to learn."

"Why not Slytherin?" That's where the silver-black man is.

"Oh no child! You'd befuddle the whole house with your lack of ambition. Proving yourself and getting ahead, that's what they do. They plan ahead to arrive on top. You, my child could care less and you know it. No, no, I'm sure Rowena's house will give you the accepting atmosphere you need. Or if they don't, you'll do well enough by your standards. The smart ones aren't known for they sanity you know," the hat grouses. "And so... RAVENCLAW!"

-

During first year potions with Ravenclaw and Slytherin, Severus Snape is flabbergasted when a first year approaches his desk and-and smiles. He is used to calculated lip movements to win his good will (not that they've ever succeeded) or more likely, scowls. A real smile rarely makes itself known in his domain. He thinks he's losing his touch because all his other classes trembled in fear. This class particularly if he ignores that odd Ravenclaw. Before he can react with a suitably irritable retort, the first year dreamily bumps into a wall before tottering out the door.

He must be losing his touch.


End file.
